Eraser cleaner



H. L. HURN ERASER CLEANER June 1.3, 1933.

Filed May 18, 1932 HA RDW L.` HURN Patented June 13, l1933 PATENT foFFIcE HARDIN L. -1-1URN,` OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY ERASER CLEANERApplication filed may 18, 1932'. Serial ne. 612,090. i

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus forcleaning blackboard erasers, and comprises essentially a cabinet inwhich the erasers to be cleaned y o thoroughly cleansing blackboarderasers.

Another object of the invention is to'provide a device of this characterin which the erasers can be cleaned in an Vair tight container, therebyeliminating the raising of fine particles of chalk and the distributionthereof through air which must be breathed inthe school rooms. v

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds. Y

1n the drawing: g I

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectionthrough the eraser cleaner illustratedin Figure 2; and

Figure 2 vis a central vertical section through the said cleaner. p

As lshownin the drawing, the invention comprises a substantiallyrectangular cabinet" having a basel, side walls and 3, end walls 4 and5, and a top 6. The end wall 4 is provided with a rectangular aperture 7adapted to permit a drawer 8 tobe slid into and outv of 'the cabinet`along the base 1 and between the sidewalls 2 and '3. The drawer 8 isprovided with a knob 9 to 'facilitate' its movements into and out of thecabinet.

` A drum designated generally by the refer-j ence numeral 10 is mountedto rotate in the cabinet. This drum comprises end walls 11 and 12preferably polygonal in outline. As shown in the'drawing, these ends areshaped to the outline of an Octagon.' However7 the invention is notlimited to any particular` number of sides for the drum. With largecabinets, drums having a greater number of sides would be used. Adrum-having ten .sides o r panels would be found' veryl convenlent inportable cabinets, although they may extend to twelve, twenty, or thirtysides according to the dimensions of the cabinet.

l said clips.

For portable cabinets, the octagon or decagon shaped drums will be verypractical. y

' The endY walls 11 and 12of the drum l10 form supports for panels 13,which, with the end walls, constituteanv octagonal prism, each surfaceof which forms a base adapted to receive and support a blackboard eraser14. In order to detachably support and position, the erasers 14, uponthe panels 13, each panel is provided with a pair of spring clipsj15.Each of these clips comprise a base platel suitably apertured to receivemeans 17 for securing the clips to the panels 13. The base plate 16connects with la flange 18 arranged substantially at an angle of degreesto the said base land this flange 18 is bent in the opposite directionto base 16 to form a yielding member 19 adapted toy extend overv theinclined side portions of the blackboard erasers 14. i s

. As previously stated, these clips 15 are arranged in pairs, and theerasers 14 are adapted to be slid along the face of the panels 13between the pairsof clips 15 until the'end of the body or base of theeraser 14 is stopped by inturned lugs 2O at the end of the aforev Theother end of each`,clip is rounded off so as to avoid cutting contactwith the hands ofthe person operating the device; 'and to facilitateentry of the' eraser into the space on each panel between the pairs ofspring clips. f 'p v f f Y Y The drum constructed as described, issecured to a shaft 21 passing rotatably through an aperture 22 formed inthe side 3 of the cabinet. The shaft 21 extends alsol through aperturescentrally bored in the end walls 11 and 12 of the drum; and one end ofthe shaft Y is screw-threaded to receive the nuts 23 and 24 for clampingthe end wall 11 of the said drum to the said vshaft 21.

' The cabinet is provided on its inside with a pair `of metallic bearingbrackets 25 and 26 apertured to form journal bearings for the shaft 21.The bracket 25 is a stripof metal having its opposite ,ends bent overparallel' to the main body of the bracket.` The bent over part 27 of thebracket, 25 is aper-l f tured to receive the yshaft 21 and to form anadditional support therefor. yThel other end of the shaft 2l issupported rotatably in an aperture 28 formed in the return bent end 29of the bracket 26. These brackets 25 and 26 are suitably secured, as bybolts 30, to the sides 2 and 3 of the cabinet. It will be notedfrom thedrawing of Figure l, that the ends 27 and 29 act as stops to limit theactual movement of the shaft 2l as well as to form journal bearings inwhich the aforesaid shaft is rotatably mounted.

The other end of the bracket 25 `is bent over to form a portion 3lapertured to receive the shaft 32 of a brush 33 which is rotatablymounted in the cabinet to contact with the felt of the variousblackboard erasers mounted on the rotatable drum 10. The other end ofthe'shaft 32 is supported in a journal bearing bracket 33 formed in apart 34; bent over from the bracket 26 to form a bearing for one end ofthe said shaft 32. The brush is preferably of the twisted wire core typeand this core forms the shaft 32 journaled in the re-v turn bent parts31 and 34- of the brackets 25 and 26, respectively.

The drum l0 is mounted to rotateat such height in the cabinet that thepanels of the drum supporting the blackboard erasers projectsuccessively through an aperture 35 formed in the cover 36 of thecabinet. The aperture 35 is closed by a curved cover 36 which issuitably hinged at one edge to the top 6. The cover 36 is provided witha flange 37 around its edges and this flange is adapted to seat on agasket 38 of feltor similar material adapted to form, with said cover,an air tight closure for said cabinet. A thumb nut 39 rotatably mountedon the top 6V is `positioned so that it can be turned across the flange37 atthe striking edge of the cover 36 to'lock the cover securely inposition when desired. j I

yThe cover 36 is preferably formed on an arc struck from the aXis ofshaft 2l as center. While the drum may be rotated in either ldirection,is preferably rotated clockwise as viewed in Figure 2 of the drawing.This rotation sets up a draft which directs the loose particles of chalkin the cover 36 downwardly on to the brush 33. n

The brush 33 is wide enough to cover the entire surface of each eraser,and is rotated by the rotation of the drum 10. The brush is .sopositioned relative to the drum that its bristles mesh with the eraserfelts, thereby removing the greater part of the chalk dust whichordinarily accumulates between these felts. This arrangement enables thedevice toc-lean worn down felts, which would otherwise not come intodirect cleaning contact with the brush. i

A baille plate 4:0 is secured between the sides 2 and 3, and is arrangedso as to trap the chalk dust, vloosened from the erasers by the brush33, and to direct this dust downwardly into the drawer 8. A secondbaffle plate 41 is secured between the sides 2 and 3 and is designed totrap any chalk dust that may have passed the end of the plate 40. Theinner edge of plate 4l extends close to the faces of the erasers lll asthey rotate toward the opening 35; and the plate 41 is positionedhorizontally so as to deflect the dust downwardly into the drawer 8.

A skirt 42 is secured in the opening 35, and is shaped to continue thegeneral outline of the cover 36 when the latter is closed. This skirtforms, with the cover 36, a means for creating a draft, as the drumrotates to direct the floating particles of dust directly against thebrush 33 where it meshes with the felts of the erasers, and therebypractically eliminates all dust from the air within the cover at thecompletion of a cleaning operation.

While the eraser supporting part of the invention is shown in the formof a polygonal prism, the invention must not be considered as limited tothe use of a prism for this purpose. It is obvious that as the sid-es ofthe prism increase in number, they will merge into a cylinder. It is,ltherefore, contemplated that this invention may, in its larger forms,employ a cylindrical drum instead of the. polygonal one shown in thedrawing. The essential feature of the drum is thatit shall be so mountedin the cabinet that its periphery 'will be located suiiiciently close tothe opening in the top of the cabinet as to `five ready access to theeraser holdingclips for the purpose of removing or positioning theerasers in the aforesaid clips. K

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and asoperating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of thepatent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit myinvention thereto, since various modifications thereof vwill suggestthemselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritof my invention, the scope of which isset forth in the annexed claim.

What I claim is: A cabinet having an opening through the top thereof, aprism-shaped drum rotatably mounted in said cabinet and'v projecting.

through said opening, means for rotating said drum, a pair of eraserholding clips mounted on each face of the drum, a brush mounted insaidcabinet adjacent said drum whereby its bristles mesh with thefeltsof the ,erasers as the drum is rotated, and an arcuate cover hinged tosaid top to close the opening over said drum, said cover being formed onan arc having its axis coincident with the axis of the drum, and beingpositioned adjacent the drum whereby the movement of the erasers createsa draft in the direction of rota-` tion of said drum. i y

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature;

HARDIN L. HURN.

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